Watch the fearsome DroneHunter X3 pluck rogue UAVs out of the sky

We love drones. However, similar to loads of different good issues, irresponsible drone use may cause no finish of issues. The most recent reminder of this befell lately when a DJI Phantom was illegally flown over Fenway Park throughout a Pink Sox-Blue Jays recreation — a lot to the chagrin of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Numerous proposals have been put ahead to assist battle these undesirable UAVs, starting from utilizing birds of prey to pluck them out of the sky to obliterating them with anti-drone laser cannons. The most recent piece of tech so as to add to this assortment? The debut of the DroneHunter X3, a brand new autonomous anti-drone know-how which guarantees to outrun, outlast and outmaneuver another quadcopter available on the market. This drone-based safety system will observe down enemy drones and seize them utilizing a internet, earlier than safely towing them away for evaluation.

Up to now, Fortem Expertise’s DroneHunter drones have flown greater than 7,600 missions and racked up greater than three,100 profitable “kills,” main the trade by a large margin with an over 85% profitable “kill price.” DroneHunter X3 improves on its predecessor DroneHunters by being between two to 3 instances sooner. To indicate off its expertise, it was lately put via its paces on the fourth annual Aerospace Day On The Hill. Flying on the spectacular Utah State Capitol constructing in Salt Lake Metropolis as a part of a Hollywood blockbuster-style demonstration, the DroneHunter captured 11 out of 11 “enemy” drones.

In doing so, it showcased how the know-how could possibly be used to guard venues like airports, authorities buildings, borders and extra in opposition to doubtlessly malicious drones. Fortem’s co-founder and chief know-how officer, Adam Robertson, was current on the occasion with Utah Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox in addition to Director of Aeronautics for the State of Utah Jared Esselman to debate the way forward for city air mobility.

“This DroneHunter X3 will probably be accessible to prospects for implementation summer season of 2019,” CEO Timothy Bean advised Digital Developments. “Presently, it’s being discipline examined at a lot of industrial and [Department of Defense] buyer websites.”

Though drones are more likely to stay an issue, know-how reminiscent of this exhibits simply how far the instruments wanted to counter these threats have superior in recent times. (To not point out the cool air present that onlookers on the Utah occasion have been handled to!)